Chapter 34 – Victoria
thirty-four
Victoria
I hold the glass of wine in my hands nervously, waiting for Zane to walk in the door, not sure what is going to happen.
Then he’s standing there, wearing his blue suit with a white shirt.
I hold up my hand, not sure how to play this.
If maybe he’s changed his mind. I don’t want to force him to do something he doesn’t want to do.
At this point, I love him, he loves me, and who knows or doesn’t know is of no importance to me.
My eyes go to the buttons of his shirt, the tie he was wearing during the game is gone.
I see him giving a couple of the guys a nod, and then Aaron calls him over, but his eyes never leave mine.
He makes his way to me. “Hey, baby.” His voice is low and sounds like a growl.
Everything is stuck in my throat when he wraps one of his arms around my waist, pulling me to him.
“You look beautiful,” he compliments and then his lips touch mine.
I swear I hear a couple of people say, “Holy shit.” Meanwhile, a couple more say, “Fuck me.”
His lips let go of mine. “Good game,” I say, lifting my free hand and wiping the gloss off his lips. “You hungry?”
“Yeah,” his eyes twinkle, “but not for food.” I shake my head, hoping my cheeks aren’t beet red, feeling them light up.
“Well, then,” Eric says, coming to stand next to us, “this is a surprise.”
“To everyone,” I reply as Zane steps beside me and his hand slips into mine, “including me.” I look up at him.
“You just going to let him date your sister”—Eric looks over at Jaxon—“and not say anything about it?”
“Oh, there were words all right,” Knox declares, making the circle of us laugh. “Some were even the F-word.” His arm hangs around Kylie, who wraps her own arms around his waist. “This was fun. I guess now that the cat is out of the bag and there isn’t a brawl,” he looks at Kylie, “we’re leaving.”
“Bye, everyone.” The smile on her face goes from ear to ear. “Congratulations to the happy couple.”
“We’re dating, not getting married,” I mumble, making Eric chuckle.
I sit at the table with Ariella and Jaxon for a bit before they get up and get home to the sitter. “Lunch tomorrow.” He points at me, and I nod my head. “You bringing that guy?” He points over to Zane, who is talking to Aaron and Eric at the bar.
“Why would you ask her that?” Ariella snaps out. “If she invited me to her house and said don’t bring Jaxon, what would you say?”
“I wouldn’t say anything,” he retorts. “It’s my sister’s house, I’m going.”
“Exactly.” She pushes him out of the door. I sit back in my chair, looking around and seeing that most of the players have left. I get up and make my way to Zane, who catches me walking to him and looks over at the table, seeing that no one is left. “Hey,” I say when I get close enough.
“I’m sorry,” he apologizes. “We were—”
“Talking business,” I fill in, looking at Aaron, who leans on the bar, and Eric, who smiles at me.
“Are you ready to head out?” Zane asks me and I nod my head.
“Unless you want to stay,” I quickly add, “to finish business. I don’t want to interrupt.”
“You aren’t interrupting,” Zane assures me. “I’ll see you guys on Monday,” he says and then he slaps Aaron’s shoulder. “Good game tonight.”
“Thanks.” He nods his head at us. Zane slips his hand in mine, and we leave together. There are a couple of the guys who I hear whispering as we walk out.
“Well, that was uneventful,” I state as he brings our hands to his lips and kisses my fingers.
“There was not even a drop of blood shed.” I make a joke as Zane laughs at me.
“It’s almost as if no one cared.” He stops by the passenger side door, pushing me against it before he kisses me.
“This is when you tell me I was right.” I slide my arms up his chest and around his neck.
“Victoria,” he says my name, “you were right.” He kisses me softly. “You are always right.” He pulls open the door. “Now get in before I forget where we are and fuck you against the car.”
“Don’t tease me with a good time, Zane.” I tap my hand on his cheek before getting in. He shakes his head and walks around the front of the SUV, getting in. He leans over, grabbing my hand, and lets it rest on his thigh as we make our way to his house.
I’m on my stomach in the middle of his bed when the phone rings.
I groan as I turn my head to the side. “Hello,” he grumbles, “yeah.” I close my eyes, hoping I fall right back to sleep.
“What?” His tone changes and the sleep I was hoping to get back to slips out of my grasp.
“Where?” I get up on my elbows and look over at him as he sits up.
“Fuck,” he swears, looking over at me. “There is no fucking comment, Ken,” he hisses.
“Give me twenty minutes and I’ll call you back. ” He hangs up. “Where is your phone?”
“I don’t know.” I turn on my side. “Probably in my purse.” I bring the covers to my neck. “Is everything okay?” I ask him as he looks down at his phone.
“The press posted a story about us,” he says and I get up.
“What do you mean the press posted a story about us?” I throw the covers off me, grabbing the white shirt he took off last night when we finally made it into the bedroom.
I run up the stairs to the entrance of the garage where my purse fell out of my hands after he fucked me against the door.
It’s right next to the pair of jeans that was left there.
I pull the phone out of my purse and see the dreaded missed calls; five from my father, fifteen from my mother, and two from Jaxon.
“Oh shit,” I mumble before pulling up the story on my phone. I don’t have to even search far, it’s the first thing on my social media.
Hockey coach Zane Gilmore dating much younger woman, who just happens to be his captain’s sister. Sources close to the pair have been speculating for months that he has been grooming her.
“That’s a little extreme,” I say, walking down the stairs and seeing him standing at the bottom. He’s wearing a pair of boxers, and his face is ashen white. “Are you okay?”
“They said I’ve been grooming you.” His voice is a whisper. “Do you know what that means?”
“I’m twenty-five,” I remind him, “not a child.” I shake my head and his head hangs. “It’s a fake article, obviously filled with shit since I didn’t even know you months ago.”
“They found a picture of us at the community garden,” he says, turning his phone to let me see. It’s a picture from when I went to bring him a water bottle. “We weren’t even together.”
“You look like you’re either in love with me and it hurts, or I kicked your dog.” I try not to make a big deal out of it. But my phone in my hand feels like a bomb ready to explode. “My parents called,” I tell him, and he puts his head back.
“We should have called them. We should have covered all our bases before this happened.” He hits his head with the phone in his hand. “Fuck. Fuck. Fuck,” he repeats again before he takes his phone and whips it across the room. It smashes as soon as it falls to the floor.
“I don’t know why you would do that.” I shake my head.
“It’s just adding one more thing to the list of things we have to do now.
Get Zane a new phone.” I walk past him to his phone and look at the screen.
“Well, it’s not that bad,” I say, seeing two cracks in the screen. “Screen protector saved it.”
“Victoria,” he hisses out my name, “I’m going to need you to start freaking out just a little bit. Or at least show that you are as bothered about this as I am.”
“Why?” I ask, walking into his bedroom. “You seem to be freaking out enough for the both of us.” He stands there.
“What I’m going to do is take a shower,” I tell him, “get dressed, and head over to Jaxon’s house.
” I walk to him and put my hands on his hips.
“Once we are there, we will call my parents and discuss things.”
“I have to call Ken back.” He runs his hand through his hair. “He’s going to want to put out a statement.”
“Okay.” I shrug. “You do what you need to do.” I try not to show him that I’m going to be freaking out just a bit, but it’ll be okay.
“Just like that?” he hisses.
“I didn’t want to say this,” I smile at him, “but I’d be more worried about my father than the press.” I tap my hand on his chest. “You deal with Ken. I’ll deal with my father. See? Divide and conquer.”
He glares at me as I walk away. Ten minutes later, he’s in the bathroom. “How are we feeling?” I look over at him as I turn off the water and step out. “You look like you’re getting your color back.” I grab a towel. “What did you and Ken decide to say?”
He rubs his hand over his face. “It’s a private matter and we don’t discuss our team’s private life off the ice.”
“I approve. Now, you need to get into the shower if you are going to come with me to Jaxon’s house.”
“It’s not even nine,” he tells me.
“I’ve had five missed calls from my father, fifteen from my mother, and two from Jaxon.
” Whatever color had come back on his face is now gone.
“So I’m not going to say this is an urgent matter,” I roll my lips, “but I’m not not saying it.
I will say you were right about one thing.
We definitely should have told my parents. ”
He puts his hand on his chest. “I think I’m having a heart attack,” he groans, rubbing his chest. “Like there is a pain in my chest.”
“Okay, that’s being a bit dramatic.” I roll my eyes. “But if you really are, that would maybe help a little.” I laugh. “Zane,” I say his name, “it’s going to be fine.”
“How can you say that?” he asks me, his hand moving up to touch my face.
“Because it can’t get worse.” I tap his chest. “Get in the shower.”
Forty minutes later, we are walking out of his house and headed toward Jaxon’s. His phone rings as soon as we sit in the car and I look at the center where it displays just the word dad.
“I think someone is in trouble.” I sing out and he shoots me a look before he presses answer.
“Hey,” he says, “I’m in the car and you are on speaker phone.” He warns him.
“Zane,” he says his name and I smile because he sounds so much like him just older, “what the ever loving F is going on.”
“I can explain.” He says, “it’s not what it seems.”
“I’m listening.”
“Oh shit you wanted me to explain now.” He laughs, “okay well I’m dating this woman.” He grabs my hand to kiss my fingers, “and she’s younger than me.”
“What is this hogwash about you grooming her?” He snaps out and I speak up to defend my man.
“No,” I snap out and then put my hands to my lips, “hi,” I say to the screen, “I’m Tori, it’s nice to meet you or meet your voice.”
“It’s good to meet you.” He says.
“Dad, I promise you that it’s all lies and when the season is over, I’m going to bring her down to you and you can meet her.”
“I would like that very much.” He says, “now I can hear your busy so how about you call me later.”
“Will do.” He says, “love you dad.”
“Love you more.” He says disconnecting.
“Wasn’t that nice? He sounds like you, or you sound like he does.
We should stop and pick up some sweet treats,” I suggest to him as the phone rings in my hand and I see it’s Ariella.
“Or not,” I remark, putting the phone to my ear.
“We’re about twenty minutes from you,” I answer instead of saying hello.
“Oh, look who has risen and is not fucking shining,” Jaxon growls, making me laugh.
“Should I get some cinnamon rolls before coming to the house, or just show up?” I ask him.
“Tori,” he grits between clenched teeth, “we’ve been up since six and on the phone with Dad since six oh five.”
“I have to call him back.” I look out the window. “I’m going to call him when I get to your house.”
“Great,” he retorts, “just great, so I’m an accessory.”
“Everyone is being a bit dramatic today.” I roll my eyes. “I’m dating a man. It’s not that big of a deal, people do it every day. It’s actually a very common thing.”
“Just get your ass over here,” he grumps, hanging up.
“He says no to the cinnamon rolls.” I look over at Zane, who looks like he’s turning green now.
“Good news is that in an hour it’ll be over,” I spin it as he pulls up to Jaxon’s house.
His phone is going crazy with notifications and mine is too, but the last thing he needs is to know this.
I slip my hand in his as we walk up the steps.
Jaxon opens the door as soon as we hit the first step.
“Oh good, they’re here,” he tosses over his shoulder, “alert the presses.” He then looks at Zane. “You look like you’re going to yack.”
“I might,” he mumbles as I step into the house and head straight to the kitchen. Ariella is there with her lips rolled together to stop from laughing.
“Hi,” I say, going to kiss her and then Jagger. “Hi, buddy.”
Zane and Jaxon get into the kitchen and he’s about to say something when we hear a car door shutting. I close my eyes and look down. “Is that—” I look at Ariella.
“He said I couldn’t’ tell you.” She points to Jaxon.
“Couldn’t tell you what?” Zane asks, his voice tight. I hear the front door opening and then I walk to him.
“Remember when I said it couldn’t get worse?” He nods. “I was wrong. My parents are here.” He looks over to the hallway.